The Pleasure Master by Nina Bangs Page A

kirk, his brothers, and his need to satisfy so many, he had found little time to laugh in recent years.
    â€œGo ahead, laugh. See if I care. Maybe Suzy Sunshine was my only way back to my time. Now I might be stuck here forever. And if you ruined my only chance to go home, I’ll make your life a living hell, Ian Ross.”
    â€œâ€™Tis a threat to make a strong man tremble.” He strode to her side and gently removed the pieces from her hand. “I’ll make her whole again for you. Dinna fear.”
I’ll make ye whole again.
    â€œWhy did you want to know how Suzy worked, anyway?” She moved to her pack and pulled out several items.
    He peered to see what she held. “’Tis wise to understand all that surrounds ye. Those who do live to be old men.”
    â€œMaybe I’m wrong here, but I get the feeling that everything’s a kind of battle to you. Like it’s you against the world.”
    She held a brush and some sort of container. Fascinated, he watched her run the brush through her hair. She had beautiful golden hair that curled in a way that tempted him to slide his fingers through it. ‘Twas shorter than most women’s hair, but a temptation to men nonetheless.
    â€œDid you hear me, Ross?”
    â€œAye.” What would she do with the container? “Ye come from a safe land. Ye wouldna understand.”
    â€œTry me.”
    He would try her very soon. He would taste every part of her wondrous body. But he suspected that was not the meaning of her words. “I have battledthe Mackays for many years. Fiona is determined to have me.”
    â€œShe must love you very much.”
    â€œFiona loves no one. She wants only my body and the pleasure it can bring her.”
    Her gaze slid over him, and his body tightened in response. Yes, he would enjoy this woman.
    â€œSounds like you and Fiona were meant for each other. No love, no commitment, just sex. But if you’re really tired of being hunted, why don’t you let her catch you, then be a real dud in bed? When you don’t live up to your reputation, she’ll just throw you out.” Kathy smiled, obviously pleased by her solution.
    â€œLike yer husband did to ye, lass?”
    Her eyes widened in shock, then narrowed to angry slits. “What makes you think any man could throw me out?”
    He shrugged. “Well, mayhap not throw ye out. ’Twould take a strong man to do such, and yer kingdom must have many weak men to allow their women to speak to them as Coco and ye do.” He watched her face flush. He was enjoying himself mightily.
    â€œYou primitive savage. Barbarian . . .”
    She obviously searched for harsher words to throw at him.
    â€œYe need not compliment me so.” Her angry response to his teasing and things she’d said before about her husband told him much. But she must trust him more before she’d tell him all.
    She took a deep steadying breath. “So why nottry my plan? Get her to throw you out?”
    â€œFiona would geld me first.”
    â€œHmm. A woman of action.”
    Her words were cold, but Ian watched her swallow hard. He waited with pleasure for her next solution to his problems.
    â€œSo who else do you have to worry about?”
    â€œThe clergy. The priest who rules the kirk thinks me an abomination. He would see me dead if he could. He canna act openly because ’twould anger the people, but he can send hirelings to kill me.”
    A small line of concentration formed between her eyes, and he forced himself not to reach out and smooth it away with his finger. He rarely kept himself from touching a woman, but he didn’t want to distract her. Her speech was much too entertaining.
    â€œOkay, let’s move on. How about your friends? Can’t they protect you? I mean, you could move down to that village, live next to a friend.” He could see the confusion in her gaze. She was as innocent as a lamb. He must guard